This invention relates to probes for use with circuitry for monitoring signals emanating from the heating tip of a soldering iron or solder extractor or the like.
Monitors are known for measuring electrical signals emanating from electrical appliances such as a soldering or desoldering station to ensure compliance with various military and/or commercial specifications. For example, a monitor may measure (a) the impedance of the tip of a soldering iron or solder extractor where an alarm is activated whenever the impedance exceeds a predetermined value such as two ohms; (b) leakage where an alarm is activated whenever the leakage voltage at the iron or extractor tip exceeds a predetermined value such as 2 mV; or (c) transients where a high frequency circuit may sense transient voltages to to MHz, for example, and transient power to frequencies above 100 MHz and where an alarm would be activated whenever peak voltages exceed 250 mV, for example. A spike detector circuit, which may be used with the present invention in transient analysis, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,618 granted January 27, 1987 and assigned to the assignee of the subject application, the foregoing patent being incorporated herein by reference.
It is desirable to test soldering iron or solder extractor tips or the like in their operating condition--that is, the tip should be heated to the desired solder melting temperature. Probes are known which comprise a pot of molten solder into which the heated tip is inserted, the molten solder being electrically connected to the monitor circuit to effect measurements of the above type. However, the solder pot probe of the prior art is quite cumbersome to use and maintain. Moreover, it is rather expensive and, accordingly, inconvenient to replace.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a probe for a monitor of the type which is easy to use and maintain and inexpensive to manufacture.
Moreover, it is a further primary object of this invention to provide a probe of the above type which may be plugged into the monitor and which may be easily removed and replaced whenever necessary.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description of the invention together with the drawing.